NASCAR fans stay connected through social networking

NASCAR fans are staying well connected these days through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

South Texas race fans that are making the pilgrimage to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for the Samsung 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race can now stayed informed almost 24/7 thanks to NASCAR, the drivers, and their sponsors.

In the day and age where information is available at a moment’s notice, NASCAR, the largest sanctioning body in motorsports, is leading the way by using social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to communicate with race fans.

Photo courtesy of CIA Stock Photography

NASCAR driver David Ragan tweets out a message on Twitter.

According to NASCAR officials, there are now 15,314 followers on Twitter, and The NASCAR Fan page on Facebook has 497,128 fans that have signed up. Fans can post their own videos, photos and wall messages on Facebook.

NASCAR officials are also getting great feedback from the fans in regards to the coverage on these sites and many of them have said that it has changed the way they watch races.

Some 10 years ago, many fans would sit at home and watch the NASCAR races while drinking a beer and enjoying a burger. Today, they have a beer in one hand and a smart phone in the other, many of which are logged onto Twitter or Facebook.

NASCAR officials have responded to the fans by including them in the day-to-day operations. They now take fan questions via Twitter for the drivers on their weekly NASCAR teleconference. This has provided an opportunity for fans to connect with drivers in a unique and personal way.

Recently, NASCAR officials conducted a social media specific survey on the NASCAR Fan Council, a panel of about 10,000 of the sport’s most avid fans. The survey was focused on Facebook, Twitter and a few other social networking sites.

Below are some of the key facts and findings from the survey about social networking:

 Nearly 60% participate in social media/networking sites

 Largest participation is on Facebook (39%) followed by:

MySpace (29%)

YouTube (20%)

Twitter (10%)

 Social media is driven by females and those under 35

97% access social media sites from a home computer, a quarter from a work computer, but mobile access primarily comes from those under 35

 40% also use social media to get information about other sports (lead by NFL, NCAA Football, and MLB)

 Nearly half use social media to get information during live NASCAR races every now and then or more often

 Among those that use social media during a live NASCAR race, over half want to receive updates on:

 Links to breaking new stories about NASCAR

 Up-to-the minute, real-time updates on my favorite driver

 Up-to-the minute, real-time race updates

 Commentary from NASCAR drivers and team members

 Those who use Facebook access it much more frequently than those that use Twitter (47% access Facebook several times a day vs. 30% access Twitter several times a day)

 For these fans, social media is used as a connection point with other fans to discuss their favorite sport, but is not a replacement for television and other resources for NASCAR information

 Females and those under 35 typically have higher levels of agreement with the social media statements versus males and those over 35

 However, 9% of those under 35 agree with the statement “I can skip watching NASCAR races on TV due to getting the same information from social media sites”

NASCAR officials said that the above survey results don’t necessarily account for their entire fans base, but the survey does provide them with an insight into how their fans use social media.

A number of drivers, race teams and sponsors have capitalized on the use of social networking and they are using this new medium to communicate and promote their teams.

Drivers like David Ragan, Brian Vickers, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart are leading the way with this new social media.

Below are a few examples of how they are reaching their fans through social networking:

 UPS is using a Twitter feed that feeds into its racing website to keep fans informed. The website is also updated with written and video blogs by David Ragan, 23, driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion, including behind-the-scenes footage of Regan on the road and at commercial shoots. With a huge employee-fan base around the world, UPS also maintains an internal communications web page with up-to-date race photos and information.

Photo courtesy of CIA Stock Photography

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver David Ragan uses the computer in his office to keep up with his fans via Facebook and Twitter.

 Driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota, Brian Vickers, 25, is a regular on Facebook and his new website hosts completely uncensored fan chats (rare today) and has other fan-friendly features. During the Daytona 500, thousands of fans gathered online on Vickers’ site. The conversation got wild when Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrecked Vickers. The fan chats during the race will again be live and uncensored during the Samsung 500 this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

 During the Samsung 500, when Kyle Busch, the 23 year-old driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, reports trouble in the car, screams at another driver, or comes in for a pit stop, a micro-blog “Tweet” will be shot into cyberspace via Twitter to keep fans and broadcasters up to speed.

 Before Old Spice broke its hilarious new Tony Stewart ad on network TV, the spot went up on YouTube for fans to preview (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvfk7ip-Wo8). Stewart, like many other drivers, also has a Facebook page to communicate with fans.

Several of the racing teams and sponsors have also gotten on aboard and are taking advantage of social networking to promote their drivers and sponsors.

UPS has embraced the social media to connect with fans and customers and build the personality and brand of its new driver, David Ragan.

On Twitter, fans can follow Ragan at UPSRacing. A representative on the team “tweets” out news from the pits and keeps fans current on what Ragan is doing on the track.

In addition, each week Ragan provides a video or written blog for the website, which is cross-promoted on Twitter. The website is used to post crewmember blogs and blogs from UPS employees to be on the UPS Racing website. The team’s Twitter updates also feed onto the UPS Racing fan page at Facebook.

Other companies that are on board include Mars, M&Ms Racing and Kyle Busch, along with Red Bull and Brian Vickers.

NASCAR veteran driver Michael Waltrip, who is sponsored by Best Western, was one of the first drivers to create a Facebook profile. Waltrip has been on Facebook since January 2009. He checks both his personal Facebook page and fan page several times a day. He also posts pictures on a regular basis and he is known for responding directly with his fans. Waltrip has more than 11,400 fans on Facebook.

Recently, Waltrip joined Twitter. He has some 3,230 followers and he “tweets” regularly from his Blackberry.

Best Western, his sponsor, even has a Twitter handle and a Facebook page. Below are some of Waltrip’s links:

The TMS site now has “Facebook for Fans” – a site that offers fan profiles, each with their own racing theme set by them, and several Facebook-style features in conversing, and contacting/establishing friends. There is a place for blogs, forums, communities and fan photo galleries. There is also a section for videos and podcasts.

If you are looking for some new NASCAR connections, check out the links below that have been provided courtesy of NASCAR officials: